Author(s)

Youwen You^1*, Cornelius E. Uboh², Fuyu Guan¹, Lawrence R. Soma¹

¹Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, PA, USA.
²PA Equine Toxicology & Research Center, West Chester University, West Chester, PA, USA.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are classified as Class 4 agents by the Association of Racing Commissioners International and are banned in racehorses during competition in Pennsylvania (PA). To control the abuse of these agents in racehorses competing in PA, a forensic method for screening and confirmation of the presence of these agents is needed. Equine plasma (0.5 mL) was acidified with 75 μL 1M H₃PO₄ to increase recovery of the analytes by liquid-liquid extraction using methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). Extracted analytes were separated by reversed-phase liquid chromatography using a C₈ column under gradient condition. All 16 analytes were detected, quantified and confirmed using a triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry with selected reaction monitoring (SRM) in both negative and positive electrospray ionization modes. The limit of detection, quantification and confirmation of the analytes were 1.0 - 5.0 ng/mL, 1.0 - 5.0 ng/mL and 1.0 - 20 ng/mL, respectively. The linear dynamic range of quantification was 5.0 - 200 ng/mL. The method is routinely used in anti-doping analysis to control the abuse of NSAIDs in racehorses competing in PA.

Equine Plasma, Doping Control, Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, Liquid

You, Y. , Uboh, C. , Guan, F. and Soma, L. (2014) Doping Control Analysis of 16 Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in Equine Plasma Using Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry. American Journal of Analytical Chemistry, 5, 1184-1199. doi: 10.4236/ajac.2014.517126.